They waited until the final moments, but the Sydney Kings tore the hearts out of the Cairns Taipans to win 71-69 at the Cairns Convention Centre on Sunday.

With Cairns up by one with 20 seconds on the clock, a stray pass from Taipan Alex Loughton was intercepted by Corin Henry who strolled to the basket to give Sydney their first lead of the night.

The Taipans had several scrambling efforts to clinch back the lead, but couldn't execute and with 1.4 seconds on the clock were not allowed another chance to atone.

Kings coach Shane Heal said Henry's (13 points, 3 steals, 4 assists) addition to the side was a boost for the entire league.

"I don't know where he came from (for that steal)," he said.

"For kids and fans coming to a game seeing someone at 5'9 - and these kids being told they're too small to dominate, you can't make it, like myself - it's pretty exciting."

Heal praised his team's ticker after backing up from Friday's defeat of Townsville, and after losing to Cairns by 20 in Sydney last weekend.

"Pressure was mounted and you can either get it done or suck your thumb and now the challenge is to maintain the level we've set."

Cairns had led by 13 points and looked in full control, but on the back of Ben Madgen (22 points, 62% shooting) and former Snake Ian Crosswhite (14 points, 10 rebounds) they were able to scramble the win.

Cam Gliddon (10 points, 5 rebounds) was one of the Taipans' best and his late triple pushed the lead to eight points.

But his vocal celebration was negated by a long bomb from the red-hot Madgen and then a Henry bucket made it a three-point game inside the final minute.

Taipan Cam Tragardh (22 points) extended the difference five, but Madgen dropped another three then Crosswhite made one-of-two from the foul line and it was back to one again before Henry stole the ball and the game.

The Taipans were wearing pink in aid of breast cancer research and awareness, but in a dour opening they missed their first six shots and, if the Kings were more accurate, could have been down by double digits in the first five minutes.

Gliddon got the Taipans out of neutral with a big three and was busy at both ends all quarter, with a steal and big block to keep things on level terms at 14-14.

In the second term Jamar Wilson's sweet drive set up Tragardh for a reverse lay-up under the rim. He followed that easy basket with another mid-range jumper as the Snakes jumped ahead by four.

Following a time-out that lead extended again and by half-time, thanks to a jam from Shane Edwards, they had a nine-point lead.

Cairns repeatedly threatened to blow the game open in the second half but Sydney stubbornly refused to die, paving the way for their remarkable victory in the dying seconds.

"It's tough, we've all had losses like that and there's no worse feeling," Gliddon said.

Coach Aaron Fearne's steely glare said it all.

"Disappointed, really disappointed," he said.

"Poor execution of our offence let us down. The game's never over 'til it's over, you learn that pretty quickly in this league."

Sydney Kings 71 (Madgen 22, Crosswhite 14)
Cairns Taipans 69 (Tragardh 22, Gliddon, Loughton 10)

Crowd: 4022 at the Cairns Convention Centre